The American dream of millions of people standing in line for a chance to immigrate to the United States has been shattered. Donald Trump has, with one signature, permanently closed the door to them – a door that Joe Biden’s administration will exploit to allow illegal immigrants and asylum seekers to gain legal entry into the United States. is charged with.
CBP One, a mobile app launched by US Customs and Border Protection through which more than one million illegal immigrants and asylum seekers receive legal status, was launched some days after Donald Trump was sworn in as President for a second term. Shut it down within hours.
When the CBP One app launched in October 2020, it was intended only for use to help commercial trucking companies schedule cargo inspections at border crossings. But in January 2023, the Biden administration expanded its applicability to include unauthorized and illegal immigrants seeking asylum or protection in the US from violence, poverty or persecution in their home countries.
Within three months, it was further expanded by the Biden administration to make it the only way to seek asylum at the US-Mexico border. This became the only way to get asylum appointments. It soon gained widespread popularity, with almost one million people managing to get an appointment using the app – meaning around 1,450 appointments per day.
Under the plan, illegal and unauthorized immigrants can apply for an advance appointment on the CBP One app. Each day the app will select applications in what has been widely described as a “lottery system” and 1,450 applicants will receive an appointment. Once approved, the illegal immigrant would gain legal entry into the United States through one of eight border crossings in the South. They will be given legal status to live and work in America. Such applicants would be eligible to seek “parole” in the United States – a presidential prerogative that Joe Biden has used more than any other US president since its creation in 1952.
Its speed and scale were soon heavily criticized by Donald Trump and his allies, who slammed and targeted the Biden administration for granting legal status to illegal immigrants with the help of this mobile app.
This lasted for one and a half years until Donald Trump won a historic second term in the White House in the US elections in 2024. He strongly opposed illegal immigration and made campaign promises to overhaul America’s immigration policy. He also threatened to “deport millions of illegal aliens.”
On January 20, when he took the oath of office, one of his first moves was to sign a record number of executive orders – one of which dealt with massive restrictions and changes to the immigration system. In this he immediately banned the CBP One app. With a stroke of his pen, the app was suspended and all existing and future appointments were halted indefinitely, eliminating the only channel for asylum seekers.
A notice on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website and app read: “Effective January 20, 2025, the functionality of the CBP One app that previously allowed undocumented aliens to submit advance information and make appointments at eight Southwest border ports of entry will be removed.” is no longer available, and existing appointments have been cancelled.”
Donald Trump did not stop here. His first day’s executive order on immigration restrictions included declaring a “national emergency at the southern border” with Mexico. He even announced that troops would be deployed within a few days to stop all illegal entry into the United States. Furthermore, Donald Trump also announced that his administration will start imposing a heavy 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada because they are allowing a large number of people to cross the border illegally.
“We’re thinking in terms of 25% on Mexico and Canada because they’re allowing a large number of people to cross the border,” Trump said in response to questions from reporters in the Oval Office on Monday night. “I think we’ll start it on February 1st.”
By adopting these measures, Donald Trump has fulfilled his campaign promise – that he would crack down on illegal immigration on the very first day of his presidency. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to “deport millions” as he assured American citizens. Donald Trump’s executive orders are certain to be challenged in court. NGOs like Amnesty International can challenge them.
